Ships with longest lifespan

[Guest]

I remember reading about the Great Western that was built back in 1866 as a railcar ferry, later converted to a sand barge and was dismantled sometime before 1966. Probably one of the last iron-hulled ships on the lakes by then. https://greatlakes.bgsu.edu/item/435608

- Brian

[Guest]

Going along with that, I think the Chief Watanam barge (scrapped in the 2010s), the Donner (status unknown), and about a dozen tugs are well past a century old now.

The Donner has been gone for several months.

[Guest]

What about ships that were built before 1942? Ones retired 1970s-2000s? Thanks!

[Jared]

Going along with that, I think the Chief Watanam barge (scrapped in the 2010s), the Donner (status unknown), and about a dozen tugs are well past a century old now.

[Andrew]

I think the St. Marys Challenger won that pretty easily unless I'm missing something.

I think top 5 are:

St. Mary's Challenger- 1906-2013 as a steamer, still going as a barge.
E.M. Ford- 1898-1996, then worked as a storage barge until 2008.
J.B. Ford, being scrapped now, 1904-1985 as a powered steamer, then storage barge until now.
A number of 1942-era ships that are currently still around have a tie- Cuyahoga, Lee A. Tregurtha, Alpena.

[Guest]

What are the top five ships that had the longest active career? Thanks!